Deadpool and Wolverine stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have appeared in a cheeky promotional video for their sailing team
Ryan Reynolds found himself in an uncomfortable moment after featuring with Hugh Jackman in a promotional clip for their Australian SailGP squad.
The footage, released to kick off SailGP’s sixth season, features the Deadpool and Wolverine stars gearing up to address their crew as joint owners of the BONDS Flying Roos. Positioned outside the team’s changing room, Reynolds confesses to feeling anxious, joking that he’ll picture the sailors in their underwear to settle his nerves.
Jackman swiftly dismisses the notion, saying: “Relax, don’t be yourself,” before they both walk through the door. The tables are then turned on them spectacularly.
Due to the Flying Roos’ partnership with underwear brand Bonds, the entire squad, captained by Olympic champion and CEO Tom Slingsby, is already waiting in their undergarments. As the hilarity escalates, the footage concludes on a cliffhanger with Jackman and Reynolds seemingly about to remove their own trousers before the frame goes dark.
A closing voice-over from Reynolds then lands the final gag, making light of Jackman’s remarkable build: “Can someone please give him some Bonds and a shoe for that thing.” The cheeky sequence marks the latest indication that Reynolds and Jackman are embracing comedy as they spearhead their fresh sporting enterprise.
The duo officially partnered up last year following their Marvel hit’s box office triumph, and have now taken that rapport from cinema screens to competitive sailing. SailGP, frequently referred to as the Formula One of sailing, was established in 2019 by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison and renowned yachtsman Russell Coutts.
The international league sees national teams compete against each other in state-of-the-art F50 foiling catamarans at locations across the globe, with millions in prize money on offer. For Reynolds, the investment adds to his already extensive sports portfolio.
The actor is well-known for co-owning Wrexham with Rob Mac, as well as having interests in football clubs in Mexico and Colombia and the Alpine Formula 1 team. For Jackman, however, this represents his initial venture into sports ownership.
In a joint statement announcing their participation, the celebrities said: “We’re incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure. Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country as well as being an avid fan of sailing.
“He will also be bringing his overly clingy emotional support human along for the ride. Apologies in advance to Australia.”
On the water, the Flying Roos have much to celebrate. They finished second overall last season after a campaign filled with early promise and late disappointment.
Victories in Auckland and podium finishes in Sydney and Los Angeles put them squarely in the title race, but a costly wing failure in San Francisco halted their progress. They took the championship all the way to the Grand Final in Abu Dhabi, only to be narrowly defeated by Great Britain in the crucial race.
The new season of SailGP kicks off in Perth, with the Flying Roos banking on their star power and wit to propel them back to the top of the leaderboard.
